The season for giving may have come sooner than some expected.
Many charities were flooded with donations after the Sept. 11 attacks.
But with a slumping economy and many early donations to Sept. 11 relief charities, many local social services are afraid the spirit of giving may be gone.
Dawn Burditt, events and marketing coordinator for the Catholic Social Services of Lansing/St. Vincent Home Inc., said she expects donations to be down.
“Christmas is our biggest time of the year, and we are expecting it to be much slower this year,” she said.
The charity, located at 913 W. Holmes Road in Lansing, collected almost $130,000 last holiday season.
Burditt said a mail campaign has been designed to remind people that donations are needed. She said although the Sept. 11 donations are important, more are still needed.
“We are just trying to bring home the message that the need here has not gone away,” she said.
John Cauley, executive director of the American Red Cross Mid-Michigan Chapter, 1800 E. Grand River Ave. in Lansing, said the organization is staying optimistic.
“I know since Sept. 11 we have already received more donations for the response than we have received all of last year,” he said.
Cauley said more than $1 million was raised by the office for Sept. 11.
But Cauley said the charity is still working to receive donations this Christmas. The chapter raised $684,000 in last year’s Christmas drive.
“We are very hopeful that people realize that people responded very generously and hopefully that is not going to have an impact on their yearlong giving,” he said.
Michelle Larsen, communications director for the Capital Area United Way Inc., 1111 Michigan Ave. in Lansing, said although the organization does not do any specific holiday campaigns, a recent drive for donations has been moving sluggishly.
The drive is set to end Nov. 30, and only 70 percent of the $692,500 goal has been met.
The charity had established a fund shortly after Sept. 11 and donated $17,188.26 to the American Red Cross, Larsen said.
“We are trying to bring people’s attention because there are still needs locally that we cannot forget,” she said.
Even other charities that did not get involved with donations for the terrorist attacks are nervous.
David Corliss, major capital area commander for the Salvation Army, 525 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Lansing, said he is hoping people will still contribute.
The charity raised $675,000 during last year’s holiday’s season and hopes to raise $700,000 this season.
“Our goals are set a little higher than last year, and we are anticipating that people still realize we still need it,” he said. “We are just praying that people continue to contribute.”
